CIRCUITWERKES: Sicontroller Software downloads

The FREE Sicontroller program lets you monitor, control and setup your Sicon-8 from any PC equipped with a serial port or a USB-to-serial adaptor. The Sicontroller program also works with serial-to-Ethernet converters and can be used locally or over a network or the Internet. You can monitor one or many different Sicon-8s using the tabs in the Sicontroller program. In addition to basic setup and control, the Sicontroller adds extra features, not found in the hardware such as sending e-mails during alarm conditions & automatically syncronizing the Sicon-8's clock to your local PC.

The CircuitWerkes Sicontroller Software Download Page

NOTE: Software version 1.23.07, which is now the current release for Sicon-8s using Web Server version 1.5, requires firmware version 1.45, or higher, to operate.

Important Note: Do not use this version of the software to configure firmware versions older than 1.37. Attempting to upload configuration data to v1.36 or older, will result in potentially catastrophic malfunction. This version of the Sicontroller software can only be used with v1.37 or newer, firmware. Before upgrading to the latest version, please download and carefully read the latest instructions. Failure to follow the latest instructions may render your Sicon-8 inoperative, or you may get stuck re-programming it from scratch needlessly.

If your Sicon-8 has v1.37 or higher firmware, do not use older Sicontroller software (prior to v1.12) to upload configuration data to your unit or it will not work.

Web Servers Compatibility:
Users with WebServer versions older than v1.5 (displayed on your Web server's home page) cannot fully upgrade because the older versions of the Web servers will not properly load labels and cannot display alarms produced within the new firmware. The basic relay controls and meter readings will still work, however, a WebServer hardware upgrade is available that will work with the new firmware and adds new features and bug fixes to the Web server. Please contact us if you would like to find out about upgrading your WebServer hardware. This is a free upgrade. You only have to return your old Web server to us for reprogramming, not the entire Sicon-8.

If you do not have a Web server in your Sicon-8, or if you do not use your Web server, you can upgrade your firmware and software. If you do use an older Web server, we strongly encourage you to contact us about upgrading your Sicon-8 for free because the newer firmware fixes some critical bugs, especially in the alarm handler.

General Release Notes:

Software version 1.23.07, which is now the current release, requires firmware version 1.45, to operate. Users with firmware versions 1.38 or 1.39 can upgrade, using the flash utility, to this version if they wish to use the latest software. Software version 1.010, works with firmware version 1.36. For firmware versions from 1.31 to 1.34, use software version 1.07 which may be downloaded here. The later releases of the Sicontroller software will not allow you to even connect to a Sicon-8 that is using older firmware, except for the firmware upgrade function. If your firmware version is 1.30 or lower and you do not upgrade, then the latest version of the Sicontroller software that can be used is 0.994. If your firmware is 1.23 or 1.23d, you can install and use software version 0.995.

Right click here to download the current Sicontroller software installer. Be sure to read the release notes above to make sure that you have the right software version for your firmware. System failure is possible if you accidently mix hardware and software versions, so be careful. When prompted, save the file to your PC. Do not select the run from the current location option. After the software has been downloaded to your PC, you can open the installer.

Important Note: This version of the software will read old versions of the site files, but saves them in a new format. If you want to save your old site and configuration files, you should make a copy of them and place them in another folder prior to installing this version.

You can also Export your site configuration data as follows (recommended):
Before installing the new software, use the "Export Sitefile" function from the "Site" menu of your existing software to save your hardware's setup data in a universal format. This will save everything except your passwords and your event schedules. Passwords should be written down. Event schedules can be separately saved from the event scheduler. After installing the new software, import the previously saved site file(s).

A few new users have reported difficulty in starting Sicontroller versions above 0.992. We believe that this problem has been fixed, however, if you cannot start the current version, you can download v0.991 here. After installing it, log into your Sicon-8. You should be able to operate relays and take readings, but we suggest that you do not perform any setup with the older version. Instead, save your site and workspace files and then exit the software. Then, install the newer Sicontroller software over the old version. So far, that has worked, but if you still require the older version, please call us at 352-335-6555.

Note: When running Sicontroller software under Windows Vista, you must be logged in as an administrator for the installation process to complete. If you are not logged in as an administrator, the Sicontroller software will not run properly after installation.

Some Vista and XP users have reported that the software must be run in Windows2000 compatability mode before it will operate, however, this appears to be machine specific.

If you encounter any bugs (or if something doesn't seem right to you), we want to hear about it so that we can make the software better for you.

View the Sicontroller Software Revision and Features History

Minimum requirements:

Windows 2000, XP, XP pro or Vista. Might also work under Windows98SE and ME if updated GDI32.DLL is installed (This has not been tested).
Pentium III @ 500 mHz and 128 megabytes of RAM for single sites. Pentium III @ 1gHz and 512megabytes of RAM suggested for multiple site use.
5 megabytes of disk space for the Sicontroller Software.
10 (additional) megabytes of disk space for the vocabulary (if desired).
Sicon-8 with Hardware version 4.5 or later (v5.3+ recommended for all features).
Sicon-8 firmware version 1.10 or higher (version 1.22 OR HIGHER recommended). See below:

Important:

If your firmware is older than 1.0, it is not software supportable. To find out what firmware revision you have, log into your Sicon-8 by either calling it or using the local phone port and entering DTMF command 96. Your Sicon-8 will speak its current firmware version back to you. You can also use the "About" function of the Sicontroller's "Help" menu to read your current firmware version. If your Sicon-8 has firmware version 1.03 or newer, its firmware is flash upgradeable. If your Sicon-8 has firmware older than 1.03, it can still be upgraded via a chip exchange, if you have hardware version 5.0, or newer. Please contact us for details. For more information about firmware upgrades, please see our online Sicon-8 firmware upgrade page for specific instructions.

Installation Tips and Tricks:

You can download the software and explore it, even if you're not connected to the actual Sicon-8. Labels and other configuration data can be saved and then uploaded to the Sicon-8 when you are actually connected.

You will next use the software to connect to the Sicon-8. Once connected, you can easily reconfigure everything on the Sicon-8 in just a few minutes.

The Sicontroller software has its own security keys and accounts which are not the same as the access codes for the Sicon-8 hardware. You must setup passwords for the Software AND the hardware before you can control or setup your hardware. In addition to user passwords, the Sicontroller software requires the Super-Administrator to create a "site key" which is a security measure designed to keep others from staling your software site definition files and using them without knowing your passwords. Once the Site Key has been set, you will only need to routinely enter your user names and associated passwords. Again, the software accounts are not the same as the hardware access codes. When first installing the software, you must (at least) setup a master user account (consisting of a user name and password) and a site key (for the software client) and then you have to know the default serial access code of the Sicon-8 which is 12345678. The serial access code is entered when you open the configuration menu and push the buttom named "Access Codes". Obviously, you should change the master serial password in your Sicon-8 before putting it into real-world service. Note that the serial password is not the same as the DTMF password. Entering your DTMF access code won't get your PC access to the Sicon-8.

When you get to the audio section of the Sicontroller program, you will need to upload any custom or new audio to the unit. If you are upgrading from a 16 channel version of the firmware or are planning to upload the entire word array, it will take about 20 minutes and you will need to have downloaded the audio WAV files and (optionally) the audio configurations file below. The custom wav files that had recorded can then be dropped onto the Sicontroller's audio grid and uploaded to the unit as well.

Minimum requirements:

Windows 2000, XP, XP pro or Vista. Might also work under Windows98SE and ME if updated GDI32.DLL is installed (This has not been tested).
Pentium III @ 500 mHz and 128 megabytes of RAM for single sites. Pentium III @ 1gHz and 512megabytes of RAM suggested for multiple site use.
5 megabytes of disk space for the Sicontroller Software.
10 (additional) megabytes of disk space for the vocabulary (if desired).
Sicon-8 with Hardware version 4.5 or later (v5.3+ recommended for all features).
Sicon-8 firmware version 1.10 or higher (version 1.22 OR HIGHER recommended). See below:

Sicon-8 Support Files:
- Right click here to download the Sicontroller audio WAV files (8MB, zipped). When prompted, save the file to your PC. Do not select the run from the current location option. Unzip the files and place them in your
  C:\Program Files\CircuitWerkes\SiController\Data\Sicontroller Audio\CurrentWordList directory
  The files can be placed elsewhere, but the audio configuration files below are pre-keyed to those locations. If you decide to put the sounds in another directory, don't use the existing audio configuration files below.
- Right click here to download the Sicontroller audio configurations for 16 and 32 channel firmware. When prompted, save the file to your PC. Do not select the run from the current location option. These files should be unzipped to your
  C:\Program Files\CircuitWerkes\SiController\Data directory.
- Click here for the latest version of the technical manual with software instructions included. The software instructions are a work-in-progress and will be somewhat incomplete. They are intended to give a knowledgable user a basic overview of the functions available. We assume that you are already familiar with the workings of the Sicon-8 and Windows based programs before you begin.
- Download an example copy of the Sicon-8's Event scheduler (zipped file). This file is importable to your event scheduler. Once imorted, you can modify it to your needs and save it or export the file as a new name. The first 24 entries show you how to setup a typical power change on a monthly schedule as one might do for an AM station. Entry # 80 logs meters to the Sicon-8's internal log file every four hours. Entries 81 and 82 simulate daily events such as changing satellite feeds at specific times of the day. This file typically is placed in your C:\Program Files\CircuitWerkes\SiController\Data directory. The Sicontroller software does let you browse for the file if it is saved elsewhere.

Firmware Updates:

The Sicontroller software includes the ability to update the Sicon-8's firmware when new features are added or when bugs are discovered. Click Here to upgrade your Sicon-8's firmware.

Note:
Although the Sicontroller software does not support Windows 98 or ME, it may be possible to use the software with these systems. In order to do so, your PC must have the updated version of Microsoft's "GDI32.DLL" installed. We have not tested Sicontroller with older Windows systems and can make no representations about whether or not the software will work on them.